


Falling Into Place

by lionheart (cruel_oath)



Series: At Dusk, I Will Think of You [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Grief/Mourning, Moving On, Multi, Post-Divorce, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, Tags to be added, mentions of past suicide attempts, past ignis/original female character, past prompto/cindy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-06-07 02:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15208733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cruel_oath/pseuds/lionheart
Summary: Prompto Argentum is left to raise his three kids while coping with the death of his wife—and he isn't coping very well. Not wanting things to progress to the point where his kids might lose another parent, he follows the advice of his childhood friend, Noctis, and returns to Twilight Town, his hometown. There, he meets Ignis Scientia, the recently divorced owner of a local café.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this fic has been in my head since January, but between the two zines I've been working on and my other project, all I've been able to do until recently was write little notes here and there. I'm so excited to finally be able to share this with you all and I hope you enjoy going on this journey with me.
> 
> My goal is to update this fic every two to three weeks. I admit updates may be slow for the first month or so (I do have to focus on my zine contributions first and foremost), but as soon as my schedule clears up a bit, I should have fairly consistent updates.

_You have three new messages._

_"Hey, Prompto... it's me, Noct. You probably already knew that, though. I wanted to check on you, y'know, see how you're holding up. I know it's been a rough couple of months. I get you probably need some space, too, but... maybe text me when you're able to? Or just let me know you're doing okay. Maybe if you're up for it, we can go out and see a movie or something, like old times... take your mind off things. See ya."_

_"Hey, Prom, it's me again. I know I just called you, like, a few hours ago, but I'm getting kinda worried. Is everything okay? I totally get it if you want me to stop being so, I dunno, overbearing, but maybe let me know? I just... be safe, okay? Text me when you get this, dude."_

_"Me again. Prompto, I love you, but this isn't healthy. Pretending everything's okay while your kids are around, then spending all day in bed is just going to make you feel worse. Please, let us help you. We care about you, Prompto. Just... call me, okay, buddy? Even if it's just to tell me to shut up and stop blowing up your phone. I love you, be safe."_

_No new messages._

Prompto sighs, letting his phone drop down onto the bed next to him. He scrubs at his face with his hands, shuddering a little at how oily his skin has become. _When was the last time he showered? How long has it been since he ate an actual meal? Were the boys aware at how badly his hygiene has suffered over the past few months?_ His fingers come up to comb through his hair, which is a mess of oils and old hair gel.

Prompto lays there in his bed, listening to the rain thundering down outside. He takes in a slow, deep breath, allowing his chest to expand as much as it can before exhaling. _In. Out. In. Out._ He focuses on breathing ~~and not on how much she had loved the rain~~ , clearing his mind of all the noise. He shuts it all out, everything from _what a useless father_ to _poor dear lost the only one who'd ever love him like that_ to _oh, sugar, he looks so much like you._

Finally, after several long minutes, he musters up the energy to sit up. ~~She's not next to him when he wakes up.~~ It takes another ten for Prompto to get out of bed. ~~She's not wrangling their youngest, who just can't wait to go to school.~~ The minute or so it takes to get to the bathroom feels like hours.

_Pretending everything's okay while your kids are around, then spending all day in bed is just going to make you feel worse._

Noct's right. He's _always_ right. There's a reason he graduated at the top of his class, after all. Prompto drags himself into the shower, turns on the water, and just stands there.

_"I'm so sorry for your loss."_

_"It's unfair, what happened to her."_

_"She's in a better place, now."_

_Bullshit._ **_Bullshit,_ ** _she's in a better place,_ Prompto thinks, resting his head against the cool tiles. A tiny whimper tears through his throat, warm tears well in his eyes.

They were happy. Maybe it wasn't perfect, but dammit, they were happy. Why couldn't they have their happily ever after? Why did it take the stupid decision of someone _they didn't even know_ to take away the one he loved so dearly?

Prompto's not sure how long he stays in the shower, sobbing until he feels snot slowly dripping from his nose and a dull ache forming behind his eyes. He's not even sure he's real right now as he slowly straightens up, grabbing his washcloth for the first time in days. It feels like the world around him is being viewed from another planet entirely as he scrubs himself clean, getting rid of whatever grime has built up. The fingers he feel against his scalp as he washes his hair don't feel like his own. Nothing feels real until the water is turned off and his feet touch the cold linoleum of the bathroom, forcefully pulling him back to reality.

Before him is the mirror. He wants to deny that the man staring back is his own reflection, but he's got the same stretch marks, the same freckles, the same scar from when he pulled some stupid stunt at Homecoming his junior year just to make a little girl who lost her mother in the crowd laugh.

_Look at you. If she saw you like this, she would've dragged you out and wouldn't have let you come home until you remembered how to laugh._

Prompto steps up to the mirror, staring at his reflection. Finally, he opens the cabinet, pulls out the shaving cream and the razor. His body goes into autopilot, applying the shaving cream and slowly ridding himself of the facial hair.

By the time he sets the razor down, he almost looks normal. Almost.

Prompto doesn't bother styling his hair—he's learned his lesson this time, old hair gel is a _bitch_ to get out—and the clothes he picks out don't match and he's sure he’s wearing the ugliest things he owns, but it's better than the tear and snot-stained pajamas he's worn for the past week and a half.

It's a _start._ The shower, the shave, the change of clothes, they all helped. Now he feels less like a deadbeat and more like a man going through his mid-life crisis—not necessarily an upgrade, but it's better than laying in bed for the seven hours his kids aren't around. He should probably go downstairs and eat something, but he's not sure he can bring himself to make himself a proper meal.

Later, he decides. Prompto's attention turns to his phone. He lifts it off his bed, unlocks it quickly so he can't linger on the picture of the two of them on his lock screen. ~~He can't bring himself to change it.~~ He goes into his contacts and finds Noctis' entry.

_Calling Noctis._

Noctis picks up halfway through the first ring.

 _"Holy shit, dude,"_ Noctis breathes, _"thank god you called."_

"Sorry," Prompto says, too emotionally drained to even try to inject a little happiness into his voice. "I know I should've called you sooner, or at least sent a text, but..."

 _"Hey, it's all good. You don't need to explain yourself, I get it."_ There's a hint of Noctis' _therapist voice,_ but Prompto can't even bring himself to be irritated by it. _"I'm just glad you didn't do anything stupid."_ There's a pause. _"How are you feeling, Prom?"_

"Honestly, dude?" Prompto laughs bitterly, "I feel like shit. I showered not even ten minutes ago and I'm already getting snot all over my shirt, I've got the worst headache I've ever had that wasn't induced by alcohol, and I'm pretty sure my kids are onto me."

_"Kids are smart, dude. They're more observant than we give them credit for. They probably just don't know what to do to help."_

"Can't say I blame them," Prompto sighs. "Shit, I don't even know what to do."

 _"Well, you got out of bed,"_ Noctis says, _"and you took a shower. It's a step in the right direction, Prompto."_

The therapist voice is gone—now, it's just supportive best friend Noctis. It brings a smile to Prompto's face.

 _"It's been way too long since I visited you, dude,"_ Noctis says. _"Don't think we've seen each other since the funeral a few months back, right? We should go out and see a movie or something. Bet I can convince Luna to babysit the kids while we get you out of that house for a little while."_

"Noct, you shouldn't have to drive eight hours just to pull me out of my rut."

_"I want to, and you know what? I'm going to. You're pretty much family, Prompto, and families are supposed to be there for each other."_

Prompto lets out a soft laugh. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Noct."

_"You've always been there for me, Prom. It's about time I returned the favor."_

Prompto remembers a time where their situations were reversed—he thinks back to their senior year of high school, where Noctis found out his dad had terminal brain cancer that they didn't catch in time. He had been an absolute _wreck_ (understatement of the century), and it only got worse after his dad passed away. It all lead up to the worst scare Prompto had in his life when Noctis called him at four in the morning because he swallowed a handful of pills and realized he didn't want to die when it was almost too late to do anything about it.

Prompto hopes it doesn't come to that. He knows how terrible it feels to think you're about to lose your best friend. He doesn't want to put Noctis through that pain.

 _"So, why don't Luna and I come over next weekend?"_ Noctis suggests, _"She'll take the boys out to the aquarium or something and we can go hang out. We'll do whatever you want."_

"You're sure it's no trouble?"

_"If it makes you smile, then it'll all be worth it."_

Prompto smiles, his bottom lip wobbling. He sniffles quietly, feeling yet another wave of tears. "What did I do to deserve you?"

 _"You put up with my shit in elementary school,"_ Noctis points out. _"I gotta go, my next client is supposed to arrive in a few. I'll text you later, okay? I love you, Prompto."_

"Love you, too, Noct."

As soon as Noctis hangs up, Prompto sets his phone aside, sniffling softly. God, he feels _disgusting._ He's sure he looks as disgusting as he feels after all that crying. He dares to look over at the alarm clock on his nightstand, making an effort to avoid the framed photograph.

_11:27 AM_

Prompto rubs his eyes with the heel of his hand, frowning at the light stinging sensation. He's got just over three and a half hours to get his shit together before the boys come home from school. In his head, he thinks of all the things that need to be done— _he needs to do laundry, he needs to buy groceries, he needs to stitch up the hole in King Mickey's butt before Sora gets it caught on something and ends up ripping him in two, he needs—_

"One thing at a time, Prompto," he murmurs to himself.

Laundry can wait one more day. If he really wanted to, he could order a pizza or some Tenebraen takeout, but he's done that twice this week. At the very least, he should get enough groceries for tonight's dinner and do the rest of the shopping tomorrow. King Mickey, however, is something that _cannot_ wait, nor should it.

After a short pep-talk, Prompto summons the strength to get out of bed a second time. He drags himself out of the bedroom and walks down the hallway, making note of the light bulb at the end of the hall being out. _Add that to the very bottom of the list,_ he thinks. It saw little use since they got Sora the new nightlight.

For whatever reason, Prompto feels his spirits lift a little when he enters Sora's bedroom. Everything is bright and colorful and screams of exciting adventures in faraway worlds, from the mural on the wall to the sea-blue carpet that Sora had _begged_ for. His shelves are lined with books and figurines, his toy chest is open wide, and all his favorite stuffed animals are scattered about from the night before.

On Sora's bed, he finds his three most beloved toys—Donald, Goofy, and King Mickey, all handmade stuffed animals from Luna when Sora turned two. Those toys have seen a lot over the past few years, and Prompto knows they'll only see more in the years to come. He plucks King Mickey off the bed, mumbling, "Sorry, Your Majesty, but we've gotta stitch up that wound."

Prompto takes the time to clean up the toys and the crayons and the puzzles, putting everything back where they belong. He avoids looking at the family portrait Sora had drawn a few months back when he cleans the little table, but he doesn't dare move it, nor does he even entertain the thought of getting rid of it. ~~It wouldn't be fair to her, she didn't even get the chance to _see_ it. ~~

Prompto leaves Sora's room, walking across the hall to poke his head into the twins' room. As always, it's as though he's looking at a before and after shot—Roxas' side of the room is a state of chaos, while Ventus' side is as neat as anyone could expect from a thirteen-year-old. Prompto comes in to pick up a few tripping hazards, setting everything where they're supposed to go before he leaves for his room.

Prompto digs out the sewing kit, which is really just an old _Justice Monsters V_ lunchbox with some needles and thread thrown inside. He sets King Mickey and the sewing kit down on the bed, flipping open the cheap clasp and lifting the lid. He finds the red thread he's frequently used to patch up His Majesty's past "injuries," making a mental note to buy more next time he's at the supermarket. He also snatches a needle, and after a moment of careful consideration, the thimble.

"Alright, Your Majesty," Prompto says, "just gimmie a few minutes and you'll be as good as new."

As he works, Prompto wishes the same could be said for his broken heart.

* * *

The week both flies by and crawls along.

Little by little, Prompto convinces himself to get out while his kids are at school—on Tuesday, it was _go for a run;_ on Thursday, it was _buy a week's worth of groceries;_ on Friday, he even managed to get himself to go to the gym and _socialize._

He'd like to think she would be proud.

Now, it's Saturday morning. He's already had a series of small victories—he brushed his teeth, he showered, he washed his hair _._ He even made chocolate chip pancakes from scratch (minus ten points for burning one side, but hey, the boys were ecstatic). He can totally handle an outing with Noctis.

Maybe.

"I hope we see Monstro! I wanna see what the inside of a whale looks like!"

Prompto feels the corners of his mouth turn up into a genuine smile. "Sora, buddy, I don't think they'll have a whale like that at the aquarium."

"Why not?"

"Whales are huge, Sora," Ventus says, dumping the loose change out of his Moogle bank. "It'd be impossible to keep a whale that big in captivity without potentially harming it."

"Plus, it'd probably break the glass," Roxas adds. "Then we'd _really_ be in trouble."

Sora pays his brothers no mind, turning his attention to Prompto. "Daaaaaad, when's Auntie Luna and Uncle Noct coming over?"

"Aunt Luna said they're not too far away, buddy. They'll be here in a few." Prompto checks one final time to make sure he's packed everything the boys might need before he hands the boys their drawstring bags—Ventus' inhaler, Roxas' elastics for his braces, Luna's contact information in Sora's bag just in case he gets lost. "Now, you three should have enough money for your tickets, lunch, and a little souvenir. Sora, make sure you stay close to Aunt Luna. Roxas, don't go wading in the nurse shark pool again, that spooks them. Ventus, if one of the employees says the wrong fact, don't correct them in front of everyone, that's embarrassing to them."

There's a disappointed groan from the twins and a cheerful "Okie-dokie!" from Sora.

True to her word, Luna and Noctis arrive a few minutes later. Prompto forces himself to go out to greet them rather than wait for the boys to lead them inside, determined to keep up appearances as much as possible.

"Oh, Prompto, hello!" Luna calls out cheerfully, pulling him in for a hug. "It's been far too long."

"It has," Prompto says, wrapping his arms around her. He allows himself to lean into her embrace, feeling a sense of comfort and security.

"Are you okay?" She asks, her voice low so the boys can't hear.

"It's... it's getting better," Prompto sighs. "Still not really okay, but... I'm not at rock bottom anymore."

"Good to hear." Luna presses a comforting kiss to his temple, like she used to when his anxiety got the better of him in high school. "Don't you worry about the boys today, okay? You just focus on having fun."

"Thank you, Lu. You guys are the best." He gives Luna one final squeeze before turning to pull Noctis in for a hug. "How was the drive over?"

"Dude, I saw a fu— _freaking_ catoblepas on the way over," Noctis says, pulling out his phone. "I've haven't seen one in forever, dude! I nearly lost my shi—er, _stuff..._ I thought they went extinct."

Prompto looks at the photograph, letting out a soft laugh. It's a catoblepas, alright, and it's up close—at least, as close as one can get on the road. It's close enough for Prompto to be able to tell it's a female, and she's elderly, and the number of scars across her body and the way she holds herself tells him that she's quite the fighter.

"She's beautiful," Prompto says, "Kinda jealous I wasn't there to see her myself."

"Let me see! Let me see!" Sora runs over, jumping up in down. "Uncle Noct, Uncle Noct, I wanna see the kobabletops!"

 _"Catoblepas,"_ Ventus corrects, "It's a _catoblepas,_ Sora."

Sora turns and blows a raspberry in response. Noctis laughs and kneels down to Sora's level, showing him the photo. "Look at her! Isn't she pretty, Sora?"

"She's scary," Sora says. "Kobabletops don't live here, do they?"

"Nah," Noctis assures him. "But even if they did, they're pretty gentle creatures. They don't attack unless you bait them."

Now _that_ was a lesson they learned the hard way. The summer after their senior year, they went on a roadtrip with some of their friends to Galdin Quay. Along the way, they camped out somewhere in Duscae and found out there was a catoblepas living in the area. Prompto had wanted a photo and Aranea had bet Noctis four hundred gil that he couldn't stand in the same lake as the catoblepas without chickening out.

They had _never_ ran so fast in their lives.

Eventually, Sora's excitement to go to the aquarium gets to be too much for him to handle. Amused, Luna lifts the child into her arms. "Looks like someone's ready to go. Are you excited, Sora?"

"I wanna see the fishies!" Sora yells, wriggling in Luna's hold. "Auntie Luna, do they have dolphins?"

"Why, it wouldn't be an aquarium without dolphins," Luna giggles. "We'd best be on our way, then. I think if we keep this one waiting for much longer, he'll run all the way there."

"He sure has the energy for it," Prompto laughs. He walks over to his car to retrieve Sora's car seat. He makes quick work of getting it transferred to Luna's car. "You boys be good for Aunt Luna, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Roxas says, rolling his eyes. "I call shotgun!"

"Hey," Ventus yells, "No fair, asshole!"

"Language, Ven," Prompto chides, but he's not able to wipe the smile off his face. _How long has it been since things have been this lively around the house?_

Ventus hasn't sworn in months, not since _she—_

"Bye, daddy!"

"Have fun, boys," Prompto calls out. He hears Ventus grumbling as he climbs into the back of the car, probably complaining about Roxas beating him to punch _again._ He watches as Luna's car pulls out of the driveway and cruises down the road, eventually disappearing out of sight.

Finally, Prompto drops the act. He looks over to Noctis, feeling far too emotionally drained to go anywhere. Thankfully, Noctis seems to take the hint. "C'mon, dude, let's head inside for a few."

He can hear Noctis' unspoken promise of _we_ **_are_ ** _getting you out of this house whether you like it or not._ He's not sure if he's upset by or thankful for Noctis' determination.

"How are you, Prompto?" Noctis asks.

Prompto sighs, sitting down on the couch. He lets himself sink into the cushions, trying to ignore the fact that _her spot_ is vacant. "Things have improved over the past few days. I'm showering and brushing my teeth everyday. I'm no longer eating a handful of chips or a banana and calling that lunch. I even made dinner last night and breakfast this morning."

"But?"

"But it still feels like someone else is controlling my body, like, eighty percent of the time. Everything in Insomnia reminds me of her and it always ends up with me in _tears."_ Prompto leans forward, burying his face into his hands. "Fuck's sake, I can't even _say her name!_ I know it's so _stupid—"_

"It's not stupid, Prompto," Noctis cuts in. He moves closer to Prompto, reaching over to rest a hand on his knee. "You and Cindy were such a big part of each other's lives, Prompto. You've been together since high school, you raised three kids together, and you two loved each other so deeply. _Of course you're going to be torn up over losing her."_

Prompto chokes out a sob. He feels Noctis' arms wrap around him, pulling him towards his chest. "I know it's hard to lose someone you love, Prompto, but you can’t let your grief consume you. Please, let us help you. Don't make the same mistakes I made and shut everyone out… that's just going to lead you down the wrong path."

Prompto buries his face into Noctis' chest. He's probably ruining his friend's shirt with his snot and tears, but he doesn't hear any complaints. He focuses on the hand rubbing soothing circles onto his back and the gentle rocking motions until his sobs have been reduced to quiet sniffles and soft hiccups.

Even after Prompto has calmed down, Noctis doesn't dare let go. His hand moves up to Prompto's head, pushing a few strands of hair out of his face. "How're you feeling, dude?"

Prompto lets out a humorless laugh. "Terrible. Sorry if I ruined your shirt."

"Shirts can be replaced," Noctis says, "you can't."

Prompto remembers saying the same thing a decade and a half ago, just a month or so after Noctis' suicide attempt. It had been a bad night, which lead to Noctis crying himself into a state of physical and emotional exhaustion. Prompto's favorite shirt was unsalvageable by the end of it, but it was a small price to pay if it meant his best friend wouldn’t slip away.

"Why don't we take a nap, then see how you feel afterwards?" Noctis suggests.

Prompto gives his friend an exhausted smile. "Always looking for an excuse to sleep, aren't you?"

"Caught me red-handed," Noctis jokes. "Seriously, though, you look like you haven't been sleeping well."

He hasn't.

Prompto says nothing when Noctis hauls him to his feet and steers him towards the stairs. He allows his friend to guide him to his room and towards the bed, where they kick off their shoes and slip under the covers. He's pulled close to Noctis, arms wrapped around him securely and his head tucked under his chin.

"Noct?"

"Mmh?"

"Thanks."

Prompto feels Noctis' lips against his forehead. "That's what a best friend is for, buddy."

Noctis says nothing else—he just cards his fingers through soft blond hair. Prompto closes his eyes and focuses on the rhythmic beating of Noctis' heart until sleep takes him.

* * *

When Prompto wakes up, he finds Noctis awake, tapping away on his phone. He still has an arm wrapped around Prompto, keeping him close to his side. After a moment, Noctis notices he's awake and sets his phone down. "Hey, dude. You feel better?"

"Yeah," Prompto says. For once, he wakes up feeling like he's in control of his own body and not watching from a distance. "Seriously, dude... thanks for sticking around."

Noctis smiles, wrapping his arms around Prompto in a proper hug. "What's that thing you and Luna used to say to me all the time? 'Ever at your side?'"

Prompto snorts. "I can't believe you still remember... that's gotta be the corniest thing I could've come up with."

"It is," Noctis says, "but it got me through a lot."

After a moment, they separate, deciding now would be the best time to get out of bed. Prompto stretches, groaning when he feels his back pop in a few places. He takes a quick look in the mirror, debating on whether or not he should wash his face. In the end, he decides against it, satisfied that his eyes aren't red and the tear tracks have faded away.

"You wanna go out to lunch?" Noctis asks. "I figure you might not be up for anything that'll involve huge crowds."

Prompto is grateful he doesn't have to try and think of an excuse to not go to the movie theater or up to the zoo or down to the lake. Leave it to Noctis to know exactly how he’s feeling.

"Kenny Crow's?" Prompto suggests.

"Works for me, dude," Noctis says.

They pull on their shoes and head down the stairs, a comfortable silence settling between them. Prompto retrieves his jacket from the broom closet and throws it on, doing his best to ignore the ache in his chest when he catches sight of her favorite jacket. He reaches for his keys on the hook by the door, making a mental note to remove the Hammerhead keychain when Noctis leaves for Twilight Town.

For the second time that day, Prompto steps out the door. The sun is now high up in the sky, the birds are chirping cheerfully, and there's a pleasant spring breeze. A picture-perfect day, Prompto thinks as they climb into the car.

_She would've worked outside on a day like this._

"So, dude," Noctis says, "what you told me earlier, about Insomnia reminding you of Cindy... is all that true?"

Prompto lets out a soft sigh. "Yeah... y'know, all her life, she wanted to move out to the city. She'd go spend a week with Cid and come back telling me about everything he taught her to do. She did so much to encourage me to pursue my dreams, so I figured it was only fair I make one of hers come true, too."

"Have you thought about coming back to Twilight Town?"

Prompto pauses. "Honestly, dude, I haven't... but even if I did, I can't exactly drop everything and move eight hours away. Plus the kids are still in school and moving would put so much stress on them and—"

"You don't need to move now, dude," Noctis says. "Just... I think it'd do you some good to get out of Insomnia. Might be good to go back home, y'know? You'll be closer to the rest of your family, too."

"That'd be nice," Prompto murmurs, smiling a little. He hasn't seen his dad or his brother since the funeral. He makes a mental note to call them later, knowing that they'll be just as worried as Noctis was, if not more so.

"I can look into homes, too," Noctis says, "send you the listings and help you pick out a place for you and the boys."

"Oh, Noct, you don't have to—"

"You've got your hands full as it is. I want to help out as much as I can... this was my idea, after all." Noctis leans back into his seat, giving Prompto a tiny smile. "Besides, I don't really have anything better to do in my free time other than nap."

"What, you don't take Luna out for dates?"

"We _totally_ go out on dates!"

"Napping together doesn't count."

"Oh fuck off, Prom, it totally does!" Noctis playfully sticks his tongue out at Prompto.

For the first time in months, Prompto lets out a genuine laugh.

* * *

After nearly a month and a half, Prompto has yet to find a home in Twilight Town.

Noctis, being the World's Greatest Best Friend, has gone through every listing he was able to find and emailed the ones he thought Prompto would be interested in. When they began their search, Prompto was optimistic—Twilight Town had little crime, was picturesque, and thanks to it being such a small town, everyone there was nice.

Naturally, his first choices were homes close to his father and brother, but both neighborhoods had no listings. His next choice was closest to his childhood elementary school, which would mean he could walk Sora to school instead of sending him on the bus, but the homes there were just outside of his budget. The available houses near the middle school were too small to comfortably raise three boys, the outskirts were too far away from _everything,_ and the houses by the hill had risks that Prompto wasn't willing to take with his youngest.

Now, with just under a month until school let out, Prompto was starting to lose hope. Were there _seriously_ no homes available in Twilight Town? Had the population grown just enough for Prompto to not be able to come back?

After the boys have left for school, Prompto sits on the couch with his laptop, finding an email from Noctis. He crosses his fingers, hoping the seventh round of houses will have something suitable for them.

When he opens the email, he's expecting to find six or eight listings, much like their past emails. Instead, he only finds one.

_My buddy from college told me his neighbor was moving out sometime over the next few days. I decided to take a look at the listing they put out and thought you might be interested._

Prompto clicks on the listing, skimming through a few of its features: _three bed, two and a half baths, a pool, located in picturesque Sunset Terrace._ The house is a little bigger than the one they live in now, it has an extra full bath (which means the kids can have their own and he can put that chocobo shower curtain his father gave him as a housewarming gift to use), and the pool can _definitely_ be used to soften the blow for the boys.

_But, is it within his budget?_

Prompto takes a deep breath before he looks at the price— though it fits his budget, it costs more than his current house did. It shouldn't be a problem if he cuts a few things out of his budget. He quickly types out a reply to Noctis, then he calls the number on the listing.

Maybe, just maybe, this will work.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who commented on the first chapter! I had allowed myself two weeks to complete this chapter, but I wound up getting it out much sooner than expected. I'm still going to stand by that two week promise, though.
> 
> In addition, I have a handful of oneshots planned for this universe. I plan on (tentatively) posting one every four chapters to give myself a short break from this story without depriving you all of content from this universe. They'll all be standalone fics and they take place at different points of time in this AU.

At precisely 5:00 in the morning, Ignis rises from his bed.

He still hasn't quite gotten used to the layout of his new room—he makes an attempt to climb out of bed, only to find himself bumping into the wall. He grumbles something under his breath and moves to the other side of the bed, his feet meeting cold mahogany flooring instead of the soft white carpet he had known for the past fifteen or so years. When he looks out the window, he expects to see the lovely view Sunset Hill provides, but he's met with the sight of the other shops in the Tram Common.

Ignis throws an accusatory glare at his alarm clock as he pulls on his slippers. His café doesn't open until eight, and he doesn't have to commute anymore. He could've slept in that extra hour.

_Old habits die hard, I suppose._

Ignis entertains the idea of going back to bed, but he knows there's still a great deal of work that needs to be done—there's boxes to unpack, an attic that needs to be repurposed, pastries to prepare, and a shop that needs to be ran for ten hours.

But there's no more papers that need signed. There's no more legal work that requires his attention, no more awkward dinners with his (ex)wife, no more avoiding eye contact and making small talk over the weather or business at the café. All he needs to worry about now is getting his new home situated so he and his daughter can live comfortably.

He feels a twinge of guilt. As hard as the divorce was for Ignis, he's certain it must've been considerably worse for Aqua. She already has enough on her plate with color guard, school, and her part-time job at the café, and now they've thrown this on top of it. As hard as it must be for her to deal with, though, Ignis knows things could've ended so much worse. There was no animosity, no bloody custody battles, no dragging it on for months on end like it had been for his parents.

Coryza had been hurt—anyone would've been, after fifteen years of marriage—but she was understanding, too. He expected disgust or disbelief after he came out to her, but she spoke like she had known for a while.

_"Your sexuality is a part of you that you can't change, Ignis. I'm just relieved you didn't tell me you were having an affair."_

He leaves his room and turns down the hall, walking past a few boxes he has yet to unpack. He walks down the stairs leading to the second floor, turning into the tiny kitchen. He opens his fridge and pulls out a can of Ebony, cracking it open and downing half the can.

Ignis wonders why he denied it for so long—had it been because he married a woman? Had that been his thought process? _You couldn't possibly be gay, Scientia, not after you married a woman and had a child together._ He was fully prepared to deny it until his dying day, too, until Gladio had finally called him out on it.

"It isn't fair to you," Gladio had told him, "and it sure as hell isn't fair to Coryza."

When Ignis was finally able to look himself in the mirror and say, _"I'm gay,"_ it was as though he put the last piece of the puzzle into place. The _relief_ he felt when he finally admitted it to his family and knowing that they accepted him in turn was unlike anything he had experienced in his life. A part of him wishes he could go back in time and tell his younger self that, _no, there's nothing wrong with you_ and _the ones who matter to you most will accept you for who you are._

Ignis looks out his kitchen window, finding a few of the shops are already in the process of getting ready. He takes a sip of his Ebony and glances to the picture he hung up on the wall. It's one of Aqua from her preschool graduation ceremony, her chubby hands proudly clutching the rolled up paper that didn't actually have anything written in it. She's missing her two front teeth and her short blue hair is tied up in pigtails she did with Ignis' help.

Ignis gives the picture a tired smile. He has many regrets, but Aqua certainly isn't one of them.

After he finishes his Ebony, Ignis walks down to the cafe, uncovering pans of dough made the night before. A few loaves of bread go into the oven, a timer is set on his phone, and he heads back up two flights of stairs to his bathroom.

As soon as the door is shut and locked, he strips down and kicks off the slippers. He goes through his mental checklist of things that he needs to make time for as he showers—buy groceries for the house, repair the dishwasher in the café, bake enough cupcakes to feed an entire marching band. He debates whether he should make chocolate or vanilla as he washes his hair, decides _fuck it, he'll make both,_ and rinses out the shampoo. He emerges from the shower and wraps a towel around his waist, already plotting every detail, from the wrappers he'll bake them in to the color of candy melt he'll want to use for the toppers.

A quick look in the mirror tells him that the stubble on his face is just grown out enough for it to be noticeable. A few sweeps of the razor is all that's needed to remedy the situation. He does a quick check for bumps and knicks before he splashes on some aftershave. Satisfied, he pulls on his bathrobe, gathers his pajamas, and slips out of the bathroom.

Ignis climbs up the stairs and turns down the hall in time to see Aqua emerge from her room, her blue hair sticking up at all angles. She offers Ignis a sleepy smile, not quite awake enough to manage a greeting. Ignis returns the smile before he heads back to his room to change.

He has yet to unpack all his clothes—Ignis had deemed those lower on his list of priorities and only unpacked one of the eight boxes of clothing he had, so he's left with a limited selection. He eventually settles on a simple grey shirt and black slacks, knowing full well that regardless of what he chooses to wear, they'll all meet the same fate—coated in flour, splashed with cake batter, and smelling of coffee.

He couldn't possibly think of anything better.

Ignis is back at the café precisely two minutes and twenty-eight seconds before his timer goes off. He spends that time melting down some butter, which he brushes onto the bread as soon as they’re pulled from the oven and popped out of their pans. The bread is set aside to cool, ready to be sliced later.

Ignis returns to his kitchen, snatching a second can of Ebony on his way over to the stove. As he cracks it open, he flips through his repertoire of recipes, eventually settling on one of Aqua's favorites. He gathers the ingredients he’ll need for strawberry pancakes, along with his cutting board and paring knife. He makes quick work of rinsing the strawberries and slicing a few for the pancakes before he prepares the batter.

By the time the batter is finished and the stove is fired up, Aqua emerges, looking a little more awake. "Good morning, dad."

"Good morning, sweetheart," Ignis says, scooping some of the batter into the pan. "Did you sleep well?"

"Kinda. It... feels weird, being here."

Another twinge of guilt.

"Ah, yes," Ignis says. "I know what you mean."

Ignis and Coryza had come to the agreement that Aqua was old enough to decide whether she wanted to live with one parent or switch between the two every few months. Even though it involved leaving the only home she ever knew, Aqua chose to live with him. There was a part of him that felt touched by it—the two of them always were very close—but she's given up a great deal of things in exchange, like her larger room and the lovely view Sunset Hill provides and the close proximity to her boyfriend.

"Hey, dad?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Are those strawberry pancakes?"

"They are," Ignis says, smiling, "and they're almost ready. Would you mind getting the plates, Aqua?"

Things almost feel normal when he hears Aqua clambering about, retrieving the plates. She even takes some time to gather what toppings they have available. From the corner of his eye, he can see Aqua pull the cutting board towards her, along with the bowl of freshly-washed strawberries. She begins to cut up a few of the remaining strawberries to use as toppings, the sound of her knife against the cutting board audible even above the soft sizzle of pancake batter on the cast-iron skillet and the noise in his head.

* * *

An hour before it's time to open up, Ignis decides it's time to continue his prep work from where he left off. He walks down the stairs to the café, grabbing his apron from the hook behind the counter and slipping it on. He enters the kitchen and washes his hands, seeing Aqua retrieve her apron from the corner of his eye. As she washes her hands, Ignis begins the process of gathering everything he prepped the night before, from the freshly baked bread for the sandwiches to the dough for pastries. Trays of pastries are put into the oven, timers are set, and bread is sliced to be used for sandwiches.

He and Aqua spend the first half hour making sandwiches and decorating the pastries he made the night before, setting aside all the misshapen ones. Another tray of cinnamon rolls goes into the oven, the cold brew is transferred from the giant fridge in the back to the smaller one under the front counter, and all the completed sandwiches and pastries are placed into the display case.

The rest of the time is spent tidying the dining area. Ignis and Aqua give the tables a quick scrub, refill the napkin dispensers, and ensure each table has a sufficient number of sugar packets to last the day.

Finally, at 8:00 on the dot, Ignis flips the sign from _Sorry, We're Closed_ to _Come On In, We're Open!_

He tears down the notice he had left for his customers, unlocks the doors, and walks back to the counter, where he does one final check for imperfections before the customers come in.

He smiles, eager to get to work. He never did like being away from the café for too long, and apparently, neither did his regulars. Over the past week, he had been stopped by regulars while he was out around the town. _Was there a death in the family? Is Aqua sick? Is your wife doing alright?_

(That last one felt like someone was rubbing salt into the wounds.)

Aqua disappears upstairs for a few minutes. When she returns, she's changed out of her flour-coated and icing stained clothes and carrying her school bag. She stops to pull Ignis into a hug, which seems to last longer than usual.

"I love you, dad."

Ignis smiles, giving his daughter a gentle squeeze. It's good to hear, even after everything that's happened. "I love you, too, Aqua. Good luck on the last of your exams."

"Don't need it," Aqua says confidently. "I had plenty of time to study. I've got this."

"That's my girl."

Aqua leaves just as the first customer of the day comes in. He lets out a soft breath, rolling his shoulders.

_And so it begins._

For the next few hours, Ignis' mind isn't on the divorce or how much he's changed Aqua's life or adjusting to living above his café. He's far too busy to think, bustling about behind the counter with only one thing on his mind: serving his customers. His attention is focused on _double shot espresso_ and _extra vanilla syrup_ and _lowfat milk._ As soon as his regulars set foot through the door, he starts preparing their usual order, handing it off to them the moment they hand over the money.

"It's good to see you around, Ignis," one of his regulars say, "I was starting to get worried about you."

"I assure you, I am in good health," Ignis says, offering her a smile. "I merely had a few family issues to sort through."

She hums. "I heard. Real sorry to hear that you and Coryza divorced."

Ah. Of course she knew. News like that travels quickly in a small town like this.

"It's quite alright," Ignis sighs. "It was a mutual decision. I doubt we would've been able to work past it."

That's all the information he's willing to give her. She's a nice lady, but she has a tendency to stick her nose into everybody's business. She doesn't need to know the details, nor does she have any right to know.

He spends much of the day dodging questions between orders, choosing his words carefully and offering only vague responses in the hopes that his customers would either take the hint and drop the subject or grow so frustrated they give up altogether. Though news of the divorce spread, he's pleased to know Coryza didn't let anyone in on the reason.

(Perhaps, when things get less awkward between them, he'll come up with a way to properly thank her.)

Around 3:30 in the afternoon, the after school rush begins and small groups of high school students begin to file in. He can tell based on the look of their faces whether or not they feel confident about how their final exams went. The orders are even more telling—those who did well treat themselves with one of the pricier items; those who didn't order the items with the most sugar.

(He may or may not have slipped in an extra pastry for a few of the kids who might've flunked their exams.)

Finally, Ignis sees Terra's truck pull up. Between customers, he sets aside a cup of coffee and a pastry for him and Aqua. A moment later, they walk through the door, weaving their way through the crowd of students.

"Good afternoon," Ignis greets them, "I trust your exams went well?"

"I'd like to think so, Mr. Scientia," Terra says, smiling down at Ignis.

"I'm feeling pretty confident," Aqua adds. "I think all those study sessions with Zack helped."

"I suppose all we can do is wait for the results, yes?" Ignis hands the teenagers their treats. "Congratulations on making it through your freshman year, you two."

Terra and Aqua go to one of the nearby tables to eat their pastries. As things begin to slow down, Ignis goes out to clean the empty tables while he still has the time. He returns to the counter to check the supply of sandwiches and pastries, making a mental note to throw a tray of Tenebraen Tarts into the oven sometime within the next half hour. Satisfied, he prepares a new pot of decaf coffee and prepares himself mentally for the final rush before closing.

* * *

At 6:00 in the evening, Ignis flips the sign from _Come On In, We're Open!_ to _Sorry, We're Closed._

There's still work to be done before Ignis can go upstairs for the night, but with two extra sets of hands, the process of closing down takes a third of the time. Terra is sweeping the floors, humming along to the music Aqua put on as soon as the door has been locked. Aqua is in the back, boxing up leftover pastries to be taken to the daycare down the street in the morning. The dishes have been done, the appliances at the counter have been cleaned, and the dining area is spotless.

All that's left is three hours worth of prep work, but that's something Ignis will need to do on his own tonight.

Terra leaves after all the cleaning is done to take the misshapen pastries home to his family, where they won't go to waste. Aqua rushes upstairs to change into something that isn't covered in powdered sugar, returning just in time for Terra's truck to park in its usual spot.

"You have your key, yes?"

"Always got it with me."

"Perfect," Ignis says. "Have fun, Aqua. Be back by eleven."

"Will do." Aqua begins to walk towards the door, only to stop in her tracks halfway there. She turns back, rushes over to Ignis, and throws her arms around him.

"I love you, dad."

Ignis smiles, wrapping his arms around his daughter. "I love you, too, sweetheart."

Aqua lingers for a few moments. Ignis remembers a time where she'd never want to let go, stubbornly clinging to his leg after returning from her first day of preschool. It's been _years_ since she had done this, but it's a pleasant reminder that he's still loved, even after everything that has happened.

Ignis kisses Aqua's temple. "I'm sure Terra has waited long enough, dear. Best not be late for your date."

Aqua gives him one final squeeze before pulling away, smiling brightly at him. "Bye, dad!"

Ignis watches as Aqua leaves the building. Terra comes out of his truck to help her inside like a proper gentlemen, bringing a smile to his face. Though he had dreaded the idea of Aqua dating for years, he's pleased to see she had chosen Terra, of all people. He was kind, hardworking, and above all else, treated his daughter with the respect she deserved.

When the teenagers drive away, Ignis locks the door and walks back to the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves. He connects his phone to the stereo system, putting on his favorite jazz playlist to liven things up a little.

Ignis begins to gather the ingredients he needs for the most time-consuming recipes he utilizes for the cafe, making mental notes of anything he's running low on. Mixing bowls and pans of various shapes and sizes are set out neatly on one of the counters, all within reach for when he's ready to use them.

He begins with the less labor-intensive work first—activating yeast, measuring and mixing dry ingredients, preparing baking pans. From there, he sets everything up into something resembling an assembly line. He works quickly, humming along to the music as he mixes, kneads, and bakes his creations.

At the hour and forty-five minute mark, Ignis has built up a rhythm that would've made the head chef of a five-star restaurant green with envy. His thoughts are geared towards his craft, going through various checklists in his mind as he checks the quality of the dough he's working on until—

 _Fly me to the moon_ _  
_ _Let me play among the stars_

Ignis lets out a sigh. _Of course._

He thought he had removed this song from the playlist months ago. He slides a tray of cinnamon rolls into the oven, washing some of the sticky cinnamon filling he had smeared on his hands off before he walks over to his phone.

_It's their wedding day. Their mutual love of jazz music lead to an agreement that their first dance should be a standard, and after much deliberation, they agreed it had to be Fly Me To The Moon. He couldn't possibly forget the smile on her face even if he tried._

He wonders if he'll ever find someone else. Coryza had loved him, that much he knew, and he had loved her... just not romantically, like he thought all those years ago. It's already difficult to find a date being a single father in his thirties—he can't even begin to imagine how difficult it will be to find someone now that he has finally come to terms with being gay.

There's an ache in Ignis' chest, a longing for _someone,_ right next to the dulling pain of the divorce. There's a fear that he might end up like his mother and not find anyone, that he may inherent her inability to get that second chance he so desires. He fears he might never hold another like he held Coryza, that he might not feel that spark he thought he felt then.

Ignis unlocks his phone and presses the little 'x' next to _Fly Me To The Moon._

_Delete song from playlist?_

Ignis' thumb hovers above "yes."

_He smiles, watching her beautiful white dress flare as she spins before him. Even above the music, he can hear her laughing. It's such a beautiful sound, so full of life and love and happiness. He's so happy to spend the rest of his life with her._

In the end, he hits "cancel."

 _Fill my heart with song_   
_And let me sing for ever more_   
_You are all I long for_ _  
_ All I worship and adore

He can't do it.

_"Ignis," she says, her eyes wide with joy, "I'm pregnant."_

_Ignis holds his newborn daughter in his arms, smiling when her tiny hand closes around his finger. His wife sleeps beside him, exhausted after hours of labor. "It was quite the rocky journey, little one, but I'm happy you've made it to us safe and sound."_

_"Now, now, Aqua," Ignis chuckles, kissing the top of his daughter's head. "No need to stir so hard, my dear, you're making a bit of a mess."_

Ignis sets his phone back down and returns to his workstation. Erasing that song would feel too much like erasing the past, and that was just something he couldn't bring himself to do. _Wouldn't_ do, even if he had wished to come to terms with his sexuality sooner. He smiles as he picks up where he left off, allowing himself to sing along.

 _"In other words, please be true,_   
_In other words, in other words,_ _  
_ I love you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for not updating as soon as I would've liked, but real life decided to get in the way and wound up making it a bit difficult to get around to working on this chapter. For the foreseeable future, updates for this fic will likely slow down, but I promise to get at least one chapter out each month.

"We're here!" Sora shouts, "We're here!"

Prompto lets out a huff of laughter as they pass the sign reading _Welcome to Twilight Town, Home of the Twilight Thorns._ "Almost, buddy. We still got a few minutes until we make it to our new home."

As soon as they passes the sign, they're met with the view of a town that hasn't changed much over the past fourteen years. Unlike Insomnia's tall skyscrapers, Twilight Town is almost entirely composed of buildings that only go three or four stories high, with the only exception being the clock tower at Station Heights, which is visible from even the furthest corner of town. Everything about the town evokes the imagery of the setting sun, from the cobblestone walkways to the color of the buildings.

In addition to the stark differences of scenery, Twilight Town lacks the maddening traffic that plagues Insomnia. So many people use the trains and trams, there's hardly any need for a car, yet the garage he passes on the way to their new address seems to be getting along just fine. In fact, most of the businesses are thriving—they're almost all little family-owned shops, save for the Crow's Nest here and there. He even recognizes a few from his childhood, like the little ice cream shop his father would take him and his brother to every Friday after school.

Maybe he'll revive that tradition for the boys.

Sunset Terrace is just as he remembers it from his childhood—it's a tiny, quiet little neighborhood situated at the base of Sunset Hill, where he and his friends would play for hours on end. He even recognizes Noctis' childhood home as they pass, though the current resident now has a lovely garden in place rather than the gaudy decorations Noctis' dad had put up.

Prompto kinda misses those decorations, now that he thinks about it.

By the time Prompto pulls up to their new home, he finds the movers he hired have already begun the process of taking boxes out of the truck and setting them down in the yard. Noctis, who had volunteered to help out, is making sure the boxes make it into the house. The moment he sees Prompto's car pull in, he rushes over, leaping over a box of Ventus' books.

"Hey," Noctis greets, pulling Prompto in for a hug as soon as he leaves the car. "Glad to see you guys made it here in one piece. How was the drive?"

"Could've been worse," Prompto says. "No fights to break up, but we passed a lot of Beetles on the way. The twins had a lot of fun with that..."

"Uncle Noct! Uncle Noct!" Sora runs over, immediately latching onto Noctis' leg, grinning widely. "I saw a kobabletops! It was huuuuge!" He steps back, spreading his arms wide. "It was this big, Uncle Noct!"

Noctis laughs, kneeling down to Sora's level. "That's cool, buddy! See, they're not scary."

Prompto smiles, turning back towards Roxas and Ventus, who have already started the process of taking out the boxes they packed in the trunk. He could only assume that after eight hours on the road, they were looking forward to moving around for a little while.

From there, they begin to take boxes into the house, keeping everything grouped together. About half an hour in, Sora gets bored and digs out Donald and Goofy, deciding he's much more interested in defeating monsters rather than moving boxes.

"Donald!" Sora screams, "Heal me! I'm out of potions! Donaaaaaaaaald!" He runs around the yard, Donald in one hand and Goofy in the other. Prompto allows himself a moment to watch, smiling— _at least someone's having fun._

"Man," Noctis says, "what I'd give to be as carefree as Sora right now."

"You're just saying that because you don't want to unload the truck," Prompto says, carrying a box labeled _Roxas_ into the house.

"'You're just saying that because you don't want to unload the truck,'" Noctis mocks, following Prompto in with a box labeled _Ventus._ "Dude, seriously. Being a kid was great. No bills, no chores, no meeting up with my dickhole brother-in-law."

Prompto lets out a laugh. "C'mon, dude, Ravus can't be that bad. He's mellowed out over the years."

"You're not the one who married his sister," Noctis hisses, "He hates me!"

"Pretty sure that's not the reason he hates you," Prompto points out. "You remember junior year at Setzer's Christmas party—"

 _"Dude!_ We swore we wouldn't bring it up again!" Noctis whines, following Prompto up the stairs. They make their way down the hall, turning into the final room on the right.

The biggest bedroom in the house was designated as the twins' room. Two beds were set up on opposite sides of the room—Ventus' to the left, and Roxas' to the right, just as it had been at their previous home. Likewise, their individual possessions were piled up along the wall by their beds. Prompto and Noctis put the boxes into their respective piles, pausing for a moment to catch their breath.

_Who knew moving was such a pain in the ass?_

"Daddy!"

Prompto perks up the minute he hears Sora yelling for him. He knows something must be wrong—Sora _never_ calls for help while he's playing one of his games. He rushes out of the room and down the stairs, leaving Noctis in the dust. He thunders down the stairs, his thoughts racing— _he can't lose someone else, he hasn’t even gotten over losing her._

"Sora? Sora!" Prompto's eyes scan the yard, searching for some sort of threat, but Sora comes running. The child immediately hides behind Prompto, letting out a soft whimper. "Sora, buddy, what's—"

"Sorry, kiddo! I didn't mean to spook you."

Prompto turns towards the source of the voice, finding the answer to his question. He's met with the sight of a tall, muscular man with tattoos decorating his arms. His long, dark hair is tied back, preventing it from obscuring the handsome features of his face. Behind him is a teenager that looks a few years older than the twins, but he has some resemblance to the man in front of him.

 _"Dude,"_ Noctis pants, "where's the fu—oh, hey!"

The tall man smiles when Noctis pokes his head out the door. "Didn't expect to see you here, Noct!"

"You know this guy?" Prompto asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Noctis says, "Prompto, this is Gladiolus Amicitia. We went to college together. Gladio, this is Prompto Argentum. He's an old friend of mine."

"We thought we'd come by and say hello," the man explains, offering his hand to Prompto. "Call me Gladio—just about everyone else does." He motions to the teenager behind him. "This is my son, Terra. We live next door."

"It's good to meet you," Terra says, offering Prompto a polite smile.

Prompto smiles, taking Gladio's hand and giving it a shake. "It's nice to meet you, too." He turns around, lifting Sora into his arms. "This is one of my sons, Sora. Buddy, you wanna say hi to our neighbors?"

Sora dares to look at Gladio and Terra. When he comes to the conclusion that they mean no harm, he waves a hand. "Hi."

Prompto's eyes scan the yard, searching for the twins. He finds them both kneeling by the fence, chattering about something. _Please don't let it be anything toxic, please don't let it be anything toxic, please don't let it—_

"Daaaaaaad," Ventus yells, standing up and running over. "Look, look!"

_A frog._

Before Prompto can say anything, Gladio lets out a fond chuckle. "Looks like one of Sania's frogs managed to escape again. Sorry, she's usually really good about making sure they stay in her lab, but sometimes they manage to sneak out." Gladio turns his attention to Terra. "Or a certain someone forgets to close the tank after feeding them."

 _Okay, okay, probability of the frog being poisonous is unlikely if they're letting their kid feed them,_ Prompto thinks. Sure, he'll have to check for frogs before he mows the lawn, but it's not the worst thing he's ever had to deal with.

"Anyway," Prompto says, "these are my other boys, Roxas and Ventus. Rox, Ven, these are our neighbors, Gladio and Terra."

"Can I see the other frogs?" Ventus asks, his eyes glittering with excitement.

"Tell you what, Ventus," Gladio says, "I'll ask my wife and see how she feels. They're part of her research and I don't want to end up messing something up."

"Research?" Ventus' eyes grow wide. "What kind of research? Medical? Genetics?" He lowers his voice. "Is your wife reanimating dead frogs?"

Gladio lets out a bark of laughter. "I'm not sure about reanimating the dead, but I know she keeps mentioning something about the ecosystem. I think she'll be much better suited to explain it—she knows the material a lot better than I do."

"Alright, little man, I think that's enough questions for now," Noctis says, gently taking the frog from Ventus before he can ask any more questions. "C'mon, we gotta finish unloading that truck or we're going to be here all night." He hands the frog to Terra. "Better put him back before your mom gets back."

Terra lets out a sheepish laugh, hurrying back to the house before the frog finds an opportunity to escape. Gladio chuckles, watching as his son disappears into the garage. "It's not the first time Pleakley's escaped," he says. "He's a slippery little fellow—Sania swears up and down he knows how to open his cage." He turns back to Prompto, cracking his knuckles. "You need any help getting that truck unloaded? Terra and I would be happy to lend a hand"

Prompto gives Gladio a thankful smile. "I'll take any help I can get."

 _This isn't so bad,_ Prompto thinks. _Maybe this will work out._

* * *

By a little after five in the afternoon, the truck is unloaded. The kids run off to play with Terra shortly after the truck has left the driveway, leaving the adults behind to catch their breath.

"Christ, Prompto," Noctis huffs, taking a seat on the porch step. "Dude, if I had known you had that much stuff, I wouldn't have agreed to help."

Prompto gives Noctis' arm a playful smack. "Hey, you're the one who talked me into moving! It's only fair you help out!"

Noctis lets out an exaggerated sigh. "I guess." His tone changes to something sincere. "Seriously, though, it's gonna be awesome being able to see you guys more often. We gotta get together and do something once you're settled."

"Totally," Prompto says.

"Great! We'll go fishing sometime!"

"Of course," Prompto says, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, let's do it. Totally looking forward to getting nothing while you take all the fish."

Noctis laughs, standing up. "I'd better get going. I'll swing by tomorrow to help you unpack, okay?"

Prompto stands up, pulling Noctis in for a tight hug. "Seriously, dude," he whispers, "thanks for everything."

"What are friends for?" Noctis pulls away, giving Prompto a smile. "See you later, man." He pauses for a moment, turning his attention to Gladio. "Keep an eye on him, alright? He's a bit of a klutz."

"Hey!"

Gladio laughs. "Will do, Noct. Give Luna my best, alright?"

"Of course! Take care, guys!"

Prompto watches as Noctis climbs into his car and drives off. In the back of his mind, he wonders how it's still running after all these years. That car had been through a lot—he remembers Regis telling him about how Noctis had nearly gotten into three accidents just driving around the block, much to Noct's chagrin. That car had been Regis' baby, second only to Noctis.

Maybe that's why Noctis does whatever he can to keep it running.

A hand lands on Prompto's shoulder, nearly making him jump out of his skin. "You alright?"

"Oh, yeah, just thinking." He turns to Gladio, beaming at him. "Thanks for your help, Gladio. You and Terra saved us a few hours of work."

"No problem," Gladio says. "Thought it'd be a good opportunity to welcome you to the neighborhood."

"I definitely feel welcome!" _So far, so good._

"Well, I was beginning to wonder when our new neighbors would finally move in!"

Prompto turns his attention towards the source of the voice. He finds a woman about Gladio's age, perhaps a little older. She's wearing a bright blue poncho, a big red hat, and big round rimmed glasses.

"Prompto, this is my wife, Sania," Gladio says. "Sania, this is our new neighbor, Prompto."

"It's lovely to meet you, Prompto," Sania says, taking Prompto's hand and giving it a firm shake. "Welcome to the neighborhood."

Prompto offers a smile in return. He turns his attention to the boys, who are playing on the other end of the yard. "Boys, come say hi!"

Sora runs over, with Ventus and Roxas following closely. He stops in front of Prompto, immediately demanding to be lifted up. Prompto laughs, kneeling down to hoist his youngest up into his arms. "These are my kids, Sora, Ventus, and Roxas. Boys, this is Sania, Gladio's wife."

"Hi!" Sora chimes in, waving. "Can we see the froggies?"

"Ah, I take it Pleakley escaped again?" Sania asks, amused. "How about this—why don't you come over for dinner, and Terra can show you the frogs after? That is, if you have the time tonight. I understand unpacking can rather time-consuming."

"Please, dad?"

Prompto lets out a soft laugh, tousling Sora's hair. "I don't see why not. I think we've had enough takeout today, haven't we?"

"Wonderful," Sania says. "I imagine you must have a great deal of unpacking to do, so I'll have Terra help out over here and text him when dinner is ready."

As soon as Sania and Gladio have left, they're back at it. Prompto focuses on unpacking all of their immediate needs—hygienic items, medication, towels, and washcloths are taken care of before he runs out of energy. Once all three bathrooms are equipped with the bare necessities, he goes to check on the boys' progress.

Terra, as instructed, is helping Sora unpack his things. Prompto's pleased to see Sora's bed has been made and his table has been put in place, but the room feels off without the murals on the wall or the sea-blue carpet on the floor. While Terra works on the heavy lifting, Sora runs about the room, arranging items in random places about the room.

_"Sora, hun," she laughs, "you can't put the lamp in the middle of the floor. It ain't gonna light up without power. Here, let's put it on that there nightstand. See, it can reach the outlet! Now it's got power!"_

He'll fix it later.

Prompto walks across the hall to the twins' room, where he finds them hard at work unpacking their boxes. Ventus had sorted his items into different piles, having labeled them after packing them with permanent marker. He's working on a box labeled _Books I-L,_ carefully arranging them onto one of his bookshelves. Roxas, on the other hand, grabs a box at random, shoving items where he'll be able to access them without any thought.

_"I don't know how you manage to find anything," Prompto says, an amused smile on his face. Among the pile of clutter on her desk, she manages to find the wrench she needs for a project._

_"Sugar, I've got a system," she says, playfully sticking her tongue out at her. "I don't need to keep everything neat an' tidy if I know where everything is."_

He'll leave Roxas' system alone.

Prompto walks down the hall to his new bedroom. It's bigger (emptier) than his old one. Among the pile of boxes sits his bed, situated between two windows that overlook the lower portion of Sunset Terrace. By now, the sun is low in the sky. Soon, he''ll see that picturesque sunset that Twilight Town is known for.

There's a dull ache in his heart. He's not sure if it's from the loneliness or the nostalgia.

Prompto opens up the box containing some of his bedding and begins to make his bed, growling a few quiet curses when one corner of the fitted sheet decides not to cooperate. He throws a few blankets on top, letting out a satisfied hum when his bed is finally made and ready to be slept in.

He tries to ignore the fact that this is the first time he's changed the sheets on his bed in months.

Prompto unpacks a few other items—his glasses go in the top drawer of his nightstand, next to his contact case and his medication. He plugs in his bedside lamp and his alarm clock, making sure it's set to the correct time before reaching into the box and pulling out the next item.

Prompto freezes.

It's an old photo—it was taken the very same day he popped the question, where they had gone to Galdin Quay to celebrate Prompto graduating from art school. He had taken the shot at the pier, the scenic view of the ocean behind them. They're smiling brightly, ready to begin the next step of their lives.

_Why'd it have to be you? Why did they have to take you away from me?_

"Mom said dinner's ready, Mr. Argentum."

Prompto nearly jumps out of his skin, turning to face Terra. He offers the teenager a smile. "Thank you, Terra. Give me just a moment and I'll be right down, okay?"

"Of course," Terra says, stepping away from the door. He walks back towards the stairs. A moment later, Sora sprints by, dragging Donald and Goofy along. Once Roxas and Ventus have passed the door, he lets out a shaky sigh.

 _Don't cry,_ Prompto thinks, _don't you dare cry... not right now._

That doesn't stop a few tears from sliding down his face.

* * *

It's rather easy for Prompto to keep it together during dinner, considering how engaging Gladio and Sania are. For the most part, the kids lead the conversation—Ventus and Sora both show a great deal of interest in Sania's research and travels, respectively, and by the end of the conversation, even Roxas seems fascinated. As a result, he's asked very few questions, but Prompto doesn't really mind.

It's nice not being at the center of attention for once.

After dinner, Terra takes the kids to the garage to look at the frogs, leaving the adults alone to socialize. They move to the living room, where Prompto's finally able to get a good look.

The living room is small and cozy, with the walls covered in photos and awards Sania has won from her research. Many of the photos feature a young Terra with animals two or three times his size, but there are a few more traditional photos—wedding pictures, family portraits, vacation photos, and even a handful of pictures of Gladio and Sania in their high school and college years. He even sees Noctis in a few of them, along with Sania and another bespectacled man.

There's a photo on the mantle of the fireplace that catches his attention—it's of Gladio giving a man he resembles a tattoo. "Is that what you do for a living?" Prompto asks.

"Yeah," Gladio says, walking over. "My old man let me give him a tattoo when I got my licence. My little sister picked out the design." He pulls out his phone and scrolls through it, showing Prompto the final product—a bouquet of irises and gladioli.

"That's beautiful," Prompto whispers, "How long have you been a tattoo artist?"

"A little over ten years," Gladio says. "Up until then, I was a marine biologist."

"That's incredible!" Prompto looks up from the photo. "What made you change your career?"

"Couple things, actually," Gladio says. "Sania and I didn't get to see each other very often because we were often off doing research. We made long distance work, but it was rough. I made up my mind when Terra was born—I wasn't going to make Sania give up her dream, so for a few years, I was a stay-at-home dad. That worked when Terra was a baby, but when he got to be old enough to go to pre-school, well... it was boring, not having much to do. So, I took a page out of Sania's book and pursued one of my dreams."

Prompto smiles. "Man, that's amazing. There's nothing better than seeing your dreams come to life."

"Without a doubt," Gladio says.

"We've talked enough about us tonight. I'm starting to feel like we're bragging," Sania says, sounding a little sheepish. "What about you, Prompto? What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a freelance photographer," Prompto says. "I mostly worked with nature magazines, but on occasion I did get a handful of assignments for a few fashion publications."

"Is that so?" Sania asks. She gets up and walks over to the bookshelf, searching for a moment before pulling out one of her many nature magazines. She flips the magazine open, revealing a photo of an adamantoise. "Would you happen to be the very same Prompto Argentum who took this photo?"

Prompto smiles. "Yeah. That was both the coolest and the most terrifying assignment I had ever gone on. 'Course, it wasn't all cool adventures. Being a freelancer, it could sometimes be difficult to get assignments, so I did a lot of work around my wife's garage. Wound up knowing my way around an engine pretty well."

"Oh, you're married?" Sania asks.

It's an innocent question, Prompto _knows_ it is, but that doesn't stop the ache from forming in his chest. He lets out a soft sigh, sinking down into a chair. He falls silent for a moment before he finally has the courage to say, "Widowed, actually."

Sania's expression turns from cheerful to sympathetic. "Oh... I'm so sorry, Prompto."

Prompto shrugs, giving Sania and Gladio a shaky smile. "It's... it's been a rough few months, I'm not gonna lie." He avoids giving all the dirty details—last thing he wants is to make it awkward between his new neighbors. "I'm getting through it, little by little."

_Are you, though?_

He's starting to wonder if he should've just kept his mouth shut.

Before things can get heavier, they hear Sora shriek outside. Prompto's protective instincts kick in immediately and he rushes to the door, sliding it open—

"Thunder!"

Sora is running around the backyard, waving a stick back and forth. Roxas is beneath a tree, playing on his phone, while Ventus is putting in a little more effort into playing dead. Terra falls to the ground, letting out an over exaggerated groan when Sora finally "kills" him. The child cheers, running up to Prompto when he notices the adults have come to check on them.

"Daddy, daddy," Sora yells, "I won! I beat Cerba!"

 _"Cerberus!"_ Ventus shouts, "You beat _Cerberus!"_

"Dead people don't talk, Ven," Sora counters. He turns back to his father, digging in his pockets for something. "Look, look, daddy! Me and Donald and Goofy are junior heroes now!"

Sora pulls a little scrap of paper torn from one of his coloring books with _Joonur Hero_ written on it in blue crayon. He chuckles softly, pulling out his phone. "Then we'd better commemorate this moment, right, buddy?" He steps back to get all the boys in frame and snaps a photo, smiling.

Sora stands proudly in the middle, grinning widely with his handmade hero licence brandished. Terra is just behind him, an amused expression on his face. In the background, Roxas' attempt to flip the camera off have been unintentionally thwarted by Ventus, who sat up just in time for his head to block his brother's hand.

"That's a keeper," Prompto says before he kneels down to show Sora the photo.

* * *

When the sun has set and the stars begin to twinkle above them, Prompto decides it's time to call it a night.

Sora doesn't beg for an extra five minutes like he normally would. Instead, he simply pads over to Prompto and makes grabby hands. With a soft laugh, Prompto hoists his youngest up into his arms. "You tired, buddy?"

Sora makes a sleepy sound, resting his head on Prompto's shoulder. He clutches Donald and Goofy to his chest, his eyes sliding shut. A few moments later, he's sound asleep.

And, Prompto realizes at the last moment, has successfully evaded bath time.

He'll let it slide this once. It's been a long day.

Prompto thanks Sania and Gladio for having them over, bidding farewell before they leave the Amicitia residence. They walk back to their new home, where Prompto unlocks the door and turns on the light. As soon as the door flies open, Roxas pushes his way in, calling dibs on the first shower. Ventus runs after him, determined to get to the shower before his brother can hog all the hot water (again).

Prompto carries Sora up the stairs and to his room, settling him down on his bed. He searches through the boxes of clothing for a pair of pajamas, eventually settling on the fish-patterned footie pajamas. He manages to get Sora changed into his pajamas without disturbing his slumber.

"Sweet dreams, little guy," Prompto says, tucking the blankets around the child. He presses a soft kiss to his forehead and switches on the dolphin-shaped night light before leaving the room, turning the lights off and shutting the door behind him.

The chaos coming from the twins' room has died down considerably. Prompto can hear the shower running and the sound of boxes being moved around, so he decides checking in on the twins can wait long enough for him to take his shower. He walks back towards his room, snatching a shirt, pajama pants, and a pair of boxers before stepping into the bathroom.

It takes a great deal of effort on his part to not think while he's in the shower—it's difficult, considering it's been the place he's retreated to when he needed to break down so the kids wouldn't catch on, but he pushes through it. He remains focused on the warmth of the water and the smell of mint and cedar wood, leaving the shower as soon as he's cleaned up.

It's the first time in months he hasn't spent an hour bawling in the shower.

When he's dried off and dressed up, he walks back out to the hallway. Most of the noise has stopped—the bathroom at the end of the hall is empty and the door to the twins' room is closed. It's quiet in the house, save for the dull roar of the air conditioning.

Prompto walks to the twins' room and opens the door, only intending to poke his head in and check on them. Ventus is already dead to the world, flopped down on his stomach and storing softly. Roxas, on the other hand, is still awake, all his focus on his phone.

"You alright, Rox?" Prompto asks, stepping into the room. He keeps his voice low, not wanting to wake Ventus.

Roxas shrugs.

Prompto lets out a soft sigh, sitting down next to him. "You wanna tell me what's wrong, Roxas?"

"It's... it feels weird, sleeping here," Roxas says, pulling his knees up to his chest. "It's too quiet."

Prompto hums in understanding. "I know what you mean, but it'll get better. You'll get used to it in no time."

"I don't want to get used to it," Roxas says. "I want to go home. I want to see my friends."

Prompto feels a twinge of guilt. He took the boys away from the only home they knew, away from their friends and their school and everything they had come to love about Insomnia. He knows it was a selfish decision, but... he's not so sure he would've gotten better in Insomnia.

"I know it's hard, buddy," Prompto says, "but you'll make new friends who will come to matter to you as much as the ones back in Insomnia did. You just need to keep an open mind... can you do that for me?"

Once again, Roxas shrugs. He lays down on the bed, turning towards the wall and pulling the blankets up over his head. Prompto looks down at the floor, sighing. "Goodnight, Roxas," he murmurs, standing up. He leaves the room, quietly closing the door behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, I haven't forgotten about this fic.
> 
> The past few months have been... _difficult,_ to say the least. A ton of shit went down in my personal life that pretty much sapped every last ounce of creativity I had, and this chapter was already fighting me from the start, so it took a while to get back on track.
> 
> I can't promise regular updates, unfortunately (things are _better_ , but I'm not out of the woods yet), but I do hope to have an update out at least once a month. I do have a oneshot planned set before this fic takes place, so keep an eye out for that here soon!
> 
> And thanks to everyone for being so patient. Here's to hoping shit gets better.

At 8:00 on the dot, Ignis turns the sign on the front door to _Come On In, We're Open._

Though summer mornings tend to be slow, Ignis finds that it’s the perfect time for him to experiment in the kitchen. It gives him the opportunity to create new dishes for his customers, as well as toy around with potential seasonal recipes when autumn comes around.

Today, he's taking another crack at a pastry that has given him grief for nearly a decade—a special type of tart from Tenebrae, the ones an old college friend had harped on and on about for years. Even after dozens upon dozens of attempts, he has yet to get it right... though, it'd help if his friend had remembered what the tart was called.

For today's batch of tarts, Ignis settles on paopu fruit. The kitchen is filled with a lovely aroma, bringing back memories of a family vacation to Destiny Islands a few years back.

(Ignis avoids looking at nearby the bulletin board, where a photograph from that very same vacation is pinned up.)

Ignis pulls a tray of perfectly baked paopu tarts out of the oven and transfers them to a cooling rack. Once they've had a few minutes to cool off, he sets aside a few for later tonight, then carries the remaining tarts out to the display case.

Out in the lobby, things are quiet. There are a handful of regulars sitting at tables, enjoying a cup of coffee or a pastry before going about their day. Aqua is behind the counter, tidying up her workstation. The atmosphere is calm, perfect for a summer morning.

(Ignis tries not to think about the absence of his ex-wife, who could often be heard singing in the kitchen when it was this slow.)

Within the hour, Ignis’ morning regulars leave. There’s a carry out order here and there, but the customers coming in are few and far between.

Ignis and Aqua return to the kitchen to prepare sandwiches for the lunch rush, allowing himself to get lost in his work. He moves in time with the music playing in the background, humming along quietly. He sets aside a handful of specialty sandwiches for a few of his regulars― _gluten-free panini, vegan blackberry basil ricotta sandwich, turkey and pastrami reuben without the pastrami_ ―then arranges the rest of them onto the display tray in a neat little line.

"Aqua, would you mind taking out the cinnamon rolls?" Ignis asks as he lifts the tray up. "They should be ready momentarily."

"You got it, dad."

"Thank you, sweetheart." He exits the kitchen to slide the tray of sandwiches into the display case. Just as he closes it up, he hears the bell at the door chime, alerting him to the presence of a new customer. Ignis looks up, expecting to see one of his regulars. Instead, he's met with a new face.

The man who walks through the door appears to be around Ignis' age, give or take a few years. He's shorter than Ignis, though his spiky hair adds a few inches to his height. From where Ignis stands, he can make out freckles on the man's pale skin, scattered all over his face and arms. His figure is slim, but well-built, particularly in the arms.

Overall, a very handsome man, if Ignis said so himself.

"Good morning," Ignis greets. "I don't believe I've ever seen you around town before."

The stranger smiles. "Yeah, I just moved in a few days ago. I saw this adorable little café and thought I'd stop in."

Ignis returns the smile. There's something about the man standing before him that feels... _sad,_ almost. Though he seems to radiate with cheer, Ignis believes there's a story behind the dark circles under his eyes.

 _Pay it no mind,_ Ignis thinks, _at least, not now._ "What can I get you, sir?"

The man— _Prompto,_ Ignis learns, scribbling it onto the cup and committing it to memory—puts in his order, which he immediately begins to work on. _Caramel macchiato, triple shot espresso, extra foam, almond milk._ Ignis' limbs move on their own after fifteen years of operating the café, allowing him to have a friendly conversation with his newest customer.

"So, Prompto," Ignis asks, "what brings you to Twilight Town?"

Ignis doesn't miss the way Prompto's face seems to go blank for a split second— _none of your business, Scientia, you need not know every detail._ The smile returns just as quickly, as though everything was perfectly fine. "Just... needed a change of pace, is all," Prompto says.

It's the truth, that much Ignis can tell, but he knows there's more to it. He fights back the urge to ask, reminding himself that not every customer that comes into his café cares to air all their dirty laundry. He puts the lid onto Prompto's cup and slips on the little cardboard sleeve before handing it off to him. "Here you are—one caramel macchiato with triple shot espresso, extra foam, and almond milk."

Prompto accepts the cup of coffee with a cheerful word of thanks. Ignis watches as Prompto takes a sip, feeling a surge of pride when his expression lights up.

"Wow," Prompto says, looking back up at Ignis. "This has got to be the best caramel macchiato I've ever had."

Ignis chuckles. "You're too kind."

"No, dude, I mean it! Best coffee I've ever—" Prompto's cut off by something that sounds suspiciously like the wark of a chocobo. The man lets out a sheepish laugh, muttering a soft apology before looking down at his phone. "Whoops! Totally thought I had more time!" He shoves a few bills into the tip jar on the counter before turning to leave. "Thanks, um—"

"Ignis."

 _"—Ignis._ Thank you!"

Ignis smiles, watching Prompto leave the shop. When he disappears from view, Ignis wonders if he'll come again.

* * *

 

Within the last hour of operation, Ignis begins the clean-up process.

Since it's been a rather slow day, doing the dishes isn't the insurmountable task it usually is—he has the bulk of them done by 4:43, and any dishes he brings back after closing can be done upon returning from dinner with friends. With what time he has remaining, he begins the process of gathering the ingredients he'll need tonight when he starts prep work for tomorrow.

Ignis sets out his containers of dry ingredients, along with the various utensils he'll need, from measuring cups to kitchen scales to recipe cards for a handful of seasonal pastries. He checks his supply of refrigerated ingredients, making note of what he's low on and what he can put off for another few days.

By 4:56, Ignis is pinning the list of ingredients to his trusty bulletin board. With what little time he has to spare, he fixes himself a cup of coffee—best not waste any product.

By 4:59, the last customer leaves, bidding Ignis and Aqua farewell.

By 5:00, the door is locked, and the sign is flipped to _Sorry, We're Closed!_

Aqua darts up the stairs to change into something clean while Ignis takes the paopu fruit tarts he made earlier and places them into a box. Once the tarts have been boxed up, he sets them down on the counter closest to the rear entrance, where there's no chance of him forgetting them.

With the tarts taken care of, Ignis makes his way up two flights of stairs, making yet another mental note about the box of kitchen equipment he has yet to unpack on the second floor. Upon reaching the third floor, he finds Aqua on her way to her room, changed out of her work clothes and into a floral-print dress her grandmother had made.

 _Perfect,_ Ignis thinks as he checks his watch, _we’re doing good on time._

Ignis enters his room and searches his closet for something a bit more casual to wear. He settles for a grey henley and a nice pair of jeans before leaving the room and entering the bathroom across the hall. He makes quick work of changing his clothes, choosing to dedicate more time to touching up his hair.

Once every stray hair is back in line, Ignis exits the bathroom, just in time to see Aqua emerge from her room. Her hair is pulled back into two neat, tidy buns and her makeup has been touched up.

"Ready, sweetheart?" Ignis asks, offering his daughter a smile.

Aqua returns the smile. "Yes, dad."

"Lovely. Then I shall let Luna know we're leaving." Ignis follows Aqua down the stairs, fishing his phone out of his pocket. "Be a dear and grab the tarts for me. They should be on the counter closest to the door."

Upon reaching the ground floor, Ignis finishes typing out a message, hitting send as he reaches for his keys. He walks back into the café, double-checks to make sure the door is locked, then walks back to the rear, where Aqua is waiting, box of pastries in her arms.

The walk up to Sunset Terrace is short. The silence is filled by Aqua's excited chatter about band camp, going on and on about the show concepts and designs for the color guard uniforms. It's a pleasant conversation, one that manages to chase away the ache in his chest when he passes their old home.

Finally, they reach their destination at the end of the road. Not long after Ignis rings the doorbell, Luna answers, a bright smile on her face.

"Oh, hello! It's so good to see you two!" Luna opens her arms, pulling Aqua in for a hug. "Noctis, darling, Ignis and Aqua have arrived!"

Ignis lets out a chuckle when he hears Noctis yell something unintelligible from upstairs. When Luna lets go of Aqua, she turns to Ignis, wrapping her arms around him. "Good evening, Luna. It's been far too long, hasn't it?"

"It has," Luna says as she pulls away. "Though we do understand why you and Aqua haven't been available for dinner."

Before Ignis' world had been turned upside down, the Scientias and the Caelums got together at least once a month for dinner. When Ignis came out to Coryza, though, the divorce began, and it took all of their time to sort through that, plus another few months for renovations in the apartment above the café to be completed.

Before Ignis can say anything else, Noctis walks down the stairs. Though he's dressed in a nice enough shirt and trousers, his hair tells Ignis that he's likely been in bed since he got home from work. Regardless, his old friend is wearing the same smile on his face he's had since college, and he radiates a warmth that has yet to fade away.

"Hey, Specs," Noctis greets warmly, pulling him in for a hug. "Glad you made it."

"I feel as though that should be my line, Noct," Ignis teases, giving Noctis a pat on the back.

He can practically hear Noctis' eyes roll at that. "Cut me some slack, Iggy. I've got in-laws coming over this week."

Ignis chuckles, letting Noctis go. "Come, now, Ravus is _nowhere_ near as bad as you say he is."

"You're not the one married to his sister!"

Once greetings are out of the way, Luna guides them to the dining room. Aqua sets the box of pastries down on a cleared off portion of the counter for later. Ignis offers to help serve dinner, but Luna politely declines.

"Noctis will help me," she says. "Won't you, love?"

And Noctis does without a fight.

They spend most of dinner catching up. Ignis learns that the leap of faith Noctis took earlier in the year when he opened his own practice has paid off and he now has a steady flow of clients. Luna has been as busy as ever with her work as a surgeon at the local hospital, yet the long hours don't seem to sour her mood in the slightest. Overall, the year has been kind to them.

Ignis can't help but feel a tiny bit jealous.

"As always, Luna," Ignis says as he finishes his plate salmon, "your cooking is impeccable."

"Oh, you're too kind, Ignis," Luna says, standing up. "I'm certain I don't know near as much as you do."

"Everyone learns at their own pace. I'm still learning new things to this very day. Now, why don't you let me help you gather up the dishes, then we'll have dessert?"

This time, Luna doesn't refuse his help. Ignis gathers the dishes, taking the time to pre-wash them so whoever is stuck washing them later has an easier job. When he turns around, he finds Luna has already set out little plates for the tarts. Ignis returns to his seat, smiling when she sets a tart down on his plate.

"These look good, Specs," Noctis says. "You take another crack at the tarts?"

"I have," Ignis says, "this time, I tried making them with a paopu fruit filling and homemade pie crust."

Noctis hums thoughtfully. Ignis watches in anticipation as he takes the first bite, the urge to know if he has finally found the recipe overwhelming.

The way Noctis furrows his eyebrows tells him that, once again, his efforts ended in another miss.

"The filling's not right," Noctis says. "But you're on the right track with the pie crust." He pauses to take another bite of the tart. "It's a good tart, though."

Ignis pulls out his pocket-sized notebook to scribble down a few notes: _paopu fruit tart fail; experiment with pie crusts._

"Well, then," Ignis says, "there's always next time."

After the tarts have been finished off and the dishes have been put into the sink, a big black dog bounds into the dining room, followed closely by a smaller white dog. Ignis chuckles fondly upon seeing Umbra with both leashes in his mouth, his tail wagging ferociously.

"Noctis, I thought you walked them before dinner," Luna says, taking the leashes from Umbra.

"I thought _you_ did," Noctis counters.

Luna rolls her eyes, but the smile doesn't leave her face. "Then I suppose we'd best take care of it now before there's an accident on my new carpet." She turns to Aqua. "Would you like to come along, Aqua? I know Umbra and Pryna have missed you dearly."

Aqua turns to Ignis, silently asking for permission. Ignis chuckles in response. "Go on, Aqua. Besides, I'm sure you and Luna have much to talk about."

Aqua's face lights up. She wraps her arms around he father, murmuring a word of thanks before taking Pryna's leash and hooking it onto her collar.

"Be safe, you two," Noctis says. "We'll see you in a bit."

It's not until Luna and Aqua have left that Ignis realized he'd been lured into something resembling a trap.

"So, Ignis... how are you holding up?"

Ignis knows better than to lie to Noctis. They've known each other for nearly two decades—he's painfully aware of how observant Noctis can be. That's how he's become such a skilled therapist.

"I admit, things have been... difficult," Ignis says. "I'm grateful the divorce itself wasn't a bloodbath, yet I... I can't quite help but feel guilty."

"You know Coryza doesn't hold it against you," Noctis points out.

"I'm aware. But I'm the one who took away her happily ever after. I'm the one who ruined _everything."_

"You didn't, though. Ignis, you were in denial of your sexuality your whole life. If you kept going, your marriage would've ended in a considerably worse place. You did the right thing, being honest with her."

Ignis thinks back to that night in late January. Long after Aqua went to bed, Ignis had asked if could speak to Coryza.

_"Coryza, I'm gay."_

She had _cried._ Never before had Ignis made her cry like that—he felt so _terrible,_ and yet...

_"Ignis... Ignis, it's okay."_

She could've screamed at him. She could've accused him of having an affair. She could've thrown him out the house and threatened to never let him see his daughter again. Instead, she held him, _comforted him_ even though she was the one crying. She was the one to tell him that everything was okay, that she still cared about him regardless of whether or not they're together.

"I suppose you're right," Ignis says. "But... you didn't see how her heart broke, Noct." He lets out a shaky sigh, turning to face Noctis. "I know I did the right thing, but that doesn't change the fact that I had _hurt_ her."

"Of course it hurt," Noctis says. "Regardless of whether or not she understood, you two had been together for seventeen years and married for over fifteen. But she also understood you wouldn't _purposely_ try to hurt her. She understood that this was not something you could control, and if you had tried, your marriage would've ended in a considerably worse state."

Ignis _knows_ Noctis speaks the truth—he knows going on would've meant that the love that did remain would've slowly wilted away, decaying into an unhappy marriage with no hope of revival. Noctis was right about it being the right decision to make.

That didn't mean Ignis was willing to admit it.

* * *

 

Over the course of the week, Ignis is pleased to see Prompto return to the café. He shows up at approximately the same time every day—always between 9:15 and 9:30, never a minute before or after. Every day, he's in some variation of tank tops and runner's shorts, covered in sweat and earbuds dangling out of the collar of his shirt. He's as cheerful as ever, even on the day where it's pouring rain and he's forced to wear a poncho so he can go about his routine.

On that day, Ignis asks about the morning run.

"Oh, it's something I started doing when I was in middle school," Prompto had told him. "I started running daily, and I did so up until a few months ago. When I moved here, I thought I'd pick that back up."

A little voice in the back of Ignis' head had told him there was more to the story. Ignis paid it no mind—it wasn't his business, anyway.

Another thing that caught Ignis' attention was Prompto's tendency to get something different every day—rather odd for someone on track to becoming a regular. Ignis finds it keeps things interesting, not knowing what Prompto will want until he walks through the door.

"Like to keep things fresh," Prompto says one day. "Doesn't feel right, having the same old thing every day."

In what few conversations they've had so far, Ignis notices that he seems to apply that way of thinking to other aspects of his life. His route, for example—Ignis discovers he has a handful of other routes he uses to run, implying he goes out of his way to get coffee every morning.

(Ignis can't help but feel a little smug about that.)

Now, it's 9:27 on a Saturday. It's silent—his only customer at the moment is an elderly gentlemen who isn't too big on small talk. Aqua isn’t there to break the silence, either―instead, she’s at her mother's for the weekend. Prompto still hasn't shown up yet— _it's probably nothing at all,_ Ignis thinks, but when it comes to his regulars, he does worry. Word travels fast around this town. Everything from birth to death is spread amongst the townspeople within days, sometimes _hours._ If something _did_ happen, someone would've mentioned it by now.

 _Come, now. You're worrying too much for a man you barely know._ Ignis heads back into the kitchen, deciding he'd best get back to work on the new recipes.

Just as Ignis begins to start up a new batch of cookies, the bell by the door rings. He looks up, expecting to see Prompto. Instead, he finds Terra, all ready to clock in and get to work. Ignis offers the teenager a smile and raises his hand in greeting, watching him approach the log book back behind the counter before turning his attention back to the clock on the wall.

9:30.

Perhaps there was a family emergency, or maybe Prompto was feeling ill. Regardless of the reason, Ignis decides it's best not to dwell on it. Numerous times before, regulars have not shown up on a day here and there. It's not the end of the world.

"G'morning, Mr. Scientia," Terra greets as he ties the strings of his apron. "How have things been this morning?"

"Rather slow, I admit, but it has given me plenty of time to experiment with a handful of new recipes." Ignis turns back to his work station, scribbling a few notes into his notebook, making changes to the recipe. "Would you mind checking on our stock of blueberry muffins?"

Terra nods, leaving the kitchen and walking over to the back of the display case. Just as he opens up the case, the bell on the door rings, followed closely by the excited cry of _"Terra!"_

Ignis looks up in time to see a small, brown-haired child barrel across the room, skidding to a halt next to the counter. "Daddy! Look, it's Terra!"

Ignis' attention turns back to the door, where he finds Prompto stepping in, followed by two twin boys. Prompto has an amused smile on his face, following the child over to the counter. "Alright, buddy, I know you're excited to see Terra, but he's at work, okay? He can't play right now."

Ignis chuckles, walking out of the kitchen and over to the counter. "Good morning, Prompto. What can I get you today?"

"The boys need a minute to decide," Prompto says, lifting the brown-haired child up so he can see the pastries in the display case better. "What'll it be, Sora? You see something you want?"

Ignis decides to give Prompto a moment, turning his attention to Terra. "I take it you know them already?"

"Yeah," Terra says, "they're actually my new neighbors. I knew Prompto went on runs every morning, but I wasn't aware he stopped here."

 _Ah._ It made sense Terra wasn't aware—for the past week he's been away, helping his mother with catching frogs in the nearby forest. Still, Ignis feels a little at ease knowing Prompto has managed to find himself in an excellent neighborhood with wonderful neighbors.

Ignis turns back to Prompto. "All set?"

"Yep, I think we've made up our minds."

Prompto ends up ordering an aquarium cookie for his youngest— _Sora,_ if he heard correctly—and a cinnamon roll for each of the twins. One of them ( _Ventus,_ according to Terra) asks for a coffee, to which the other ( _Roxas,_ he learns) demands that if his brother gets one, then he should, too.

"Rox, Ven, you know coffee upsets your stomachs," Prompto says after he puts in the order, complete with an iced vanilla latte— _extra vanilla, with almond milk._

"But _daaaad,"_ they groan in unison.

Ignis chuckles in amusement, making quick work of preparing the coffee and sacking up the treats."You lot enjoy the rest of your day," he says, handing over their order.

"Bye, bye, Mr. Ignis!" Sora says, grabbing his father's hand. "C'mon, daddy, or we'll miss it!"

"Well, we can't have that, now, can we?" Prompto turns back to Ignis, smiling brightly. "See you later, Ignis, Terra!"

When they leave, Ignis can't help but feel unnerved at the silence of the café.

* * *

 

About a half hour after closing, there's a knock on the front door.

 _Odd,_ Ignis thinks. He's sure he flipped the sign to indicate that they were closed. Even if he didn't, most of the townspeople knew his summer hours. Raising an eyebrow in suspicion, he peeks out the kitchen, reaching for his sharpest knife just in case he needs it.

He winds up putting the knife away when he sees it's just Gladio. That's when he remembers he's here to pick up Terra.

_That's right. Sania has the other car tonight._

"Terra," Ignis calls out, "your father is here. Are you nearly finished with the dishes?"

"Yes, sir," he hears Terra call back.

Ignis walks over to the doors, unlocking them so Gladio can come in. "Good evening, Gladio. Busy day at the parlor?"

Gladio snorts softly. "Always a busy day at the parlor. Wouldn't trade it for the world, though." He sits down at one of the vacant chairs, offering him a smile. "Terra told me you met Prompto and his boys today."

"Ah, yes," Ignis says, joining Gladio. "I've met Prompto prior to today—he started coming in last week—but I didn't know he had children."

"They're good kids. A little rambunctious, but then again, what kid isn't?"

"He's a good father, from what I've seen," Ignis adds. He smiles fondly, remembering the interactions between father and sons. It reminds him of himself and Aqua, back when she was too little to help out in the café.

"Then maybe we should invite him to poker night," Gladio suggests. "Y'know, get him introduced to a few other parents in the neighborhood, give his kids an opportunity to make a few more friends."

"A lovely idea, Gladio."

"Good to see we're on the same page. Maybe mention it next time he comes by?"

"Excuse me?"

Gladio rolls his eyes. "C'mon, Iggy, you're smarter than that. Just slip it into a casual conversation. Y'know, 'here's your coffee, by the way, you want to join us for parent poker night?'"

"But he's your neighbor, Gladio," Ignis deadpans, "and it takes place at your house. Wouldn't it make more sense for you to invite him?"

"Are you saying you don't want to invite him?"

Ignis pauses. "It's two weeks from Thursday, correct?"

"Attaboy." Gladio stands up, stretching. He smiles when he sees Terra exit the kitchen, hanging up his apron. "Ready to head out, Ter?"

"Yeah, dad," Terra calls out. He signs the log book before walking away from the counter, giving Ignis a wave. "See you tomorrow, Mr. Scientia!"

"You two drive safe," Ignis says, standing back up. He watches as Terra and Gladio climb into Gladio's pickup truck, locking the doors when they finally drive away. Once again, silence overtakes the shop.

Ignis pushes up his sleeves and walks back into the kitchen. The sooner he finishes the remainder of the prep work, the sooner tomorrow would come.

**Author's Note:**

> Hang out with me on [tumblr](https://memegitek.tumblr.com/) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/memegitek)!


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